At first glance, this work may look closer to a difficult academic quiz than the latest pop album by a musician who just had a previous hit featured an international pop star. Broken into four different movements and performed in 13 tongues, we have a dizzying classical-tinged work exploring female mystery, religious ascent, and bodily transformation, often via the prism of different female saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a theme treated with raw openness on another major 2025 album—is launched heavenward on this record, carried by the constant presence of a major orchestra and input from an award-winning composer within a long roll call of collaborators. Its sheer ambition by itself makes the work of contemporary pop stars seem rather laughable.
Rising Above Scholarly Exercise
That this album succeeds in transcend overly intellectual posturing is nothing short of miraculous, and full praise belonging to the artist. While this is not the first time project to blend the past and modern styles, its ambitions feel far higher here, and the balancing act far more dramatic. The element that really raises her fourth album, beyond its complex melodies, rich compositions, and engrained drama, proves to be a core spirit of fun. Much like the iconic artist at her peak, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener into its whirlwind. When she is breaking hearts in two, you still desire to be right there through the ride.
A Signature Example of Joy
This playful spirit comes forth brightly during the stirring piano-led ballad about a saint. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool for several minutes. Then, all the music falls away, to reveal there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration prior to a hilariously exaggerated string surge thuds down with comedic impact. The track then segues into the frenetic track featuring galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a surprise role from the artist Björk.
"The charm of this album is that the listener rarely quite understand—or even want to know—what it will go to next."
Nearly every track finishes in a completely distinct point than how it began. One moment examines the transient trappings of fame with a delicate symphony before collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused style begins out moody and sinister, with prowling beats, until fluttering flamenco rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's rough edges.
The Balance Of Experiment & Pop
A key achievement on Lux is straddling the gap between radical experimentation and mainstream accessibility. This is little surprise that it has achieved her highest-charting release to crack the Top 5 of major charts: at its core a collection of truly undeniable hits. A song sung entirely in English swells around a chorus that feels to collect more and more infectious melodies while it spins upward. This feat is repeated on a different powerful ballad that expands and constricts, intertwining multiple tunes like a complex weave.
- A waltz-like song charms via its playful, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
- In its words, it aligns with cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak anthems, eviscerating an ex- partner labeled an "psychological bully".
- Throughout the album, the singing carry a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale character concealing a knife: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You've the podium of letdown."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album represents popular music on a grand scale, a hungry grasp for capital-A artistry in an era of impending artificial blankness. It rejects solipsism for sublime transcendence, creating an over-the-top drama that skillfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant well of buried treasure that takes time to fully mine but never feels like hard work. Where other major releases of the year felt like a meager meal, this record is a lavish banquet where the characters at the table, some intoxicated on sacred drink, flutter from conversations about ancient saints, the profound feeling of heartbreaking grief, and common stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's truly restlessly inventive visionary.
